Plant safety for cats
Is taro (अरबी) toxic to cats?
ModerateListed toxic to cats by ASPCA
Yes — arbi (taro, colocasia) leaves are toxic to cats: their oxalate crystals feel like needles in the mouth, causing pain, drooling and vomiting. Raw leaves brought in for patra or alu vadi count too.
Why moderate: Oxalate crystals that feel like needles in the mouth. ASPCA's description is stronger than Pet Poison Helpline's 'mild'.
- Name
- Taroalso Arbi, Colocasia, Elephant ear, Alocasia
- Hindi
- अरबी · arbi
- Botanical name
- Colocasia esculenta (also Alocasia species) · Araceae
- Other Indian names
- Marathiअळू (alu)
- Bengaliকচু (kochu)
- Tamilசேம்பு (sempu)
- Kannadaಕೆಸು (kesu)
- Gujaratiઅળવી (alvi)
Toxic parts
Leaves, stems and corms — raw leaves in the kitchen sting as much as the garden plant.
What's in it
Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals — tiny needles that are released when the leaf is chewed and stab the lips, mouth and throat
How to recognise it
- Large heart- or arrow-shaped leaves on long stalks
- Colocasia leaves droop, with the stalk joined inside the leaf blade
- Alocasia leaves point upwards, with the stalk at the notch
Look-alikes and name traps
Caladium is smaller, with thin, colourful leaves — also toxic.
Symptoms to watch for
- Drooling
- Pawing at the mouth or face
- Gagging or vomiting
- Painful mouth, not wanting to eat
- Difficulty swallowing
- Rarely: swelling of the throat that makes breathing hard (emergency)
At once — the crystals hurt as soon as the plant is chewed.
What to do
Call your vet. It hurts at once, but most cats recover with supportive care.
- Take the plant away, note how much is missing and take a photo of it.
- Call your vet if your cat drools, paws at the mouth, gags or vomits.
- Go now if breathing is noisy or laboured, the face or throat swells, or your cat can't swallow (Pet Poison Helpline's rule).
- Don't make your cat vomit at home unless a vet tells you to.
- Keep raw arbi leaves and corms off the kitchen counter until they're cooked.
Where Indian cats meet it
Kitchen gardens, drain edges and monsoon pots; raw leaves come into kitchens for patra and alu vadi, and ornamental alocasias are sold as indoor plants.
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Elephant ears (Colocasia)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Alocasia
- Pet Poison Helpline: Elephant ear (when to see a vet)
- NC State Plant Toolbox: Colocasia esculenta (human toxicity data)
- Hindi Wikipedia: अरबी सब्जी (Hindi name)
Facts last checked
General information for cat parents, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. The facts come from ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, International Cat Care, the Merck Veterinary Manual and the other sources listed on every page — and we say so when the evidence comes from dogs or people. If your cat may have eaten something harmful, call your vet.
